Light Seeker: Book One: The Hall of Casters
by YFW28
Summary: Light and Dark must always remain in balance. But when one disappears fate chooses a single soul, innocent and pure, to search for the other. The Light is going out it, it fades as the Dark grows stronger. Fate has chosen the one who will find the light...Fate has chosen the Light Seeker. (AU. medieval times, wizards and princesses)
1. Prologue

**So this has been on my mind for a while but now I just can't stop myself from putting it to words. A story, more of a concept really, and I just have to put it up.**

**Light Seeker**

**Book One: The Hall of Casters**

**Prologue**

My name is Amethyst Carlstrom.

Not a very original way to start a story is it? But it's the only way I know how to tell it, from the beginning. And from the beginning you should know who I am. Within the land of Sammans, there was the capital city, this was Första, and within Första was the Carlstrom Castle and within the castle, at the top of the eastern tower was my room and there I sat looking down at the the kingdom I was to rule with my brothers. My father is Faust Carlstrom. King of Sammans, which ironic considering the name "sammans" comes from the word "tillsammans", which is a rough translation of the word together, united. Why was this ironic, you ask? Well because the kingdom was the exact opposite of that.

Before my people came, this land was "Cantatis" a place filled with magic. Not just the creatures and monsters that lived within but witches, wizards, or the preffered term, mages lived all throughout the land. Living in harmony with the non-magicals, and protecting them from the monsters. But the peace, like all things, did not last. Mages from the north fought with the idea that magicals were the triumphant race on this earth and should be treated as such. While southern magi fought to protect the humans they thought had right to live as their equals. The bloodshed lasted hundreds of years until my people, the Havish, nomads who lived on ships and traversed the vast ocean, set foot on these lands. The Havish fought with the mages of the south to liberate humanity, but they didn't leave after that. They stayed and colonized, they had more people join their cause, which was equality. After news of Havish soldiers attacking magical people spread through the land, the leader the magical ones Airen Luxor, outraged by the actions of the Havish, demanded an audience with their leader, Cronin Carlstrom, my great-grandfather.

The leader of the magicals did not know the leaders plans for him. Though they did not show it, the Havish feared magic, they had seen what it was capable of in combat and did not want it in the new kingdom they were to build. They did not take a liking to those who showed strength equal or greater to their own. The timing was perfect, just after a war between mages where after their numbers, their strength had dwindled down to half of it's original estimate. The Havish struck.

They seized control of the land and built what they thought was a glorious kingdom. Every magical person was to either be exiled or killed. The only magicals that were allowed left in the kingdom were mercinaries from far away lands hired by the king himself and even they were hated by the masses and the other magicals because they hunted down their own.. There were still some people being accused of witchcraft were killed immediately. So, of course the magicals started hiding in fear. Non-magicals, known as, the Hominum, who were in favor of the mages were angered and started a rebellion that still runs to this day, though it is not a major threat. The rebels and the magi fought and fought to no avail. From then on magic was strictly forbidden and practicing it was punishable by death and only by death.

Decades passed, magic faded and became legend, it was thought to be extinct within Sammans even the magical mercenaries had died out and people now had the soldiers and steel to protect them from the creatures outside the walls of the cities or the borders of the villages. The new people, the children of that generation and of mine were raised with the thought that magic was dangerous and that mages were the villains in told at story time. The Havish and along with the Hominum lived in a time of "prosperity", my time. And this is where I fit in.

When I was but a child, a little girl my personal maid and caretaker, Catherine had shared with me tales of what magic was like. Not the horrible side filled with bloodshed and death but the side that told of the wonderful things magic could do. She had told me of people who could speak to animals, make anything from the earth grow, create entire mountains or trenches, hold fire in their hands, control water, and fly. I absorbed as much as my mind could at that age and always asked her to tell me those stories each night. That was until my father found out and I was never to hear those tales again.

Now, if I may, I want to end all your presumptions thoughts about me rebelling against my father. In fact despite the thousands of mages and rebels he's had killed he is a good father to me and my two brothers. He lets us do what we want. He never forced my older brother to join the army but Arvid did it anyway. He doesn't let my younger brother, Allistair, be trained at a young age and he never spoiled him either. As for me, he never forced me into some arranged marriage or said that just because I was a woman I belonged in a kitchen.

He never locked us up in our rooms, he let us out of the castle. He didn't force people on us, he let us choose our friends. He never shut us out, he asked for our opinions. He didn't have people escorting us all the time and never giving us privacy, because he knew no one would dare attack us. That should have been good. But to me it was a sign that he was a good father but an evil man.

Who would pass up the chance to take the princess or one of the two princes for a ransom? Everyone in the country because they feared my father's wrath so much that people didn't even dare gossip about me or my family. Not even those old wifes who spread whispers and rumors at the market, their businesses would be shut down and they would disappear. Or the bartenders at pubs who were known to be holders of good information, they would suddenly be "replaced". Not even the drunk men at those bars would say a word against the king or his family, they would have their tongues cut out and they would have "accidents" days later.

Loose lips, sinks ships and one foul word can have you meet a fate worse than death.


	2. Chapter 1

**The first official chapter of light seeker!**

**Here it is. I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus series.**

**Chapter 1**

Curiosity, killed the cat.

My personal caretaker Catherine, a maid in the castle, said this to me every time I tried to sneak in to my father's study when he had a meeting with another official. I would want to hear what they were saying and Catherine would catch me every time. She would tell me the aforementioned phrase and walk me to my room or to play with my brothers Arvid and Allistair and my friends in the garden.

But that was 8 years ago. When I was still curious about what my father was always talking about with others. Half of the time it was business and the other half it was either war or strategy. Now I found those conversations extremely boring at the age of 15. Oh no my curiosity was centered around a certain group of boys. Now before you judge me by saying I am a flirt, I will tell you that it is not like that. I noticed them when I was eleven years old. I was walking with Catherine and other helpers through the market purchasing the groceries for the week, when I had noticed them. A pair of boys, twins. A few years older than me, with the same brown hair, blue eyes, looks and smiles that convinced me they were trouble makers. I was right and wrong at the same time.

I always saw them at all the local market on Sundays, the same time we would get our supplies. They would always put on a show. One would buy from the grocers and vendors but eventually a soldier would notice that he was not familiar, everyone in the town had a document that showed them as a citizen of Sammans, when the soldiers would ask him if he had a his he would smile at them and, well several things happened. That first day, when I thought it was just one boy he had smiled at the soldier, while the man was shouting at him and demanding he show identification and suddenly the officer was doused with a barrel of pig fat followed by the barrel itself falling on his head.

His fellow guard came to his aid while others approached one of the boys. Despite appearing cornered he still retained that mischievous smile. He crawled under one of the tables, the table cloths hid him. The soldiers scrambled around looking for him. He popped out from behind a vegetable stand.

"Over here!" He would shout and the soldiers would try grab him but he ducked and slip right through the man's fingers. Then he was suddenly on top of a spice stand.

"Can't reach me up here can you?!" He shouted down at them and they would try to pull him down but he threw something a their feet and they all slipped down onto the cobblestone path. Marbles. Everyone in the market laughed at their misfortune and while the soldiers were recovering one boy came out right next to me and waved to a clapping audience and then he lifted the cloth on the vegetable stand and his brother came out and they each took a bow. A florist threw a rose at them and the shorter one caught it, sniffed it and gave it to me. He winked at me while I flushed.

They noticed that the soldiers were getting up. "Uh oh" One said, he was slightly taller than the other.

"We gotta go!"" They said in unison. The slightly shorter one threw a coin at the florist for the flower and they ran with incredible speed for twelve-year olds. Soon after they were gone the excitement would die down. I had kept that rose alive for a week by putting in a vase by my window.

I kept it because I wanted to know who they were. But I never had the chance to talk to them for four years, because the soldiers always chased them away. Sometimes I would see them with other people they would run with. A large burly girl with stringy brown hair and eyes, she quite literally picked up the soldiers and threw them around while the boys bought what they needed. A beautiful girl with curly blonde hair and storm grey eyes, when I saw her she just disappeared soon after and merely seconds later the soldiers were chasing around a flying orange, it was enough of a distraction. A ruggedly handsome boy with blonde hair and sky blue eyes, he would just touch the soldiers and they would go down, they were alive he assured the people watching, just unconscious.

Most often I would see them with a good looking boy with sea green eyes and jet black hair, he would give the men a look and they wouldn't approach them. Another time I saw a boy with squinty brown eyes, and short black walk through the market and disappear in the crowd. Moments later the twins arrived and a guard approached them before he could even speak a chicken, of all things attacked him! It had jumped up in his face and scratched his cheek. The chicken ran through the streets with the entire platoon of soldiers guarding the market chasing it. The twins took their chance and bought and sold what they needed. The chicken suddenly landed in the taller one's arms and it crowed another time before the boys ran.

It was a mix of faces that I memorized and drew in my sketchbook or painted on my canvases, most of their features unique to the people of the capital city that was Första.

In fact the start of this story (finally, I know) happened while I was finishing a painting. I woke up early and started on the piece.

The door to my art room and gallery clicked open.

"Wow." My brother said. "She is beautiful"

I was painting a girl I saw with the brothers. Slightly darker skin than the pale Havish, more brownish or tan, dark brown hair that was uneven but set in a way that drew your attention to her flawless face. Her eyes were the hardest part. I did not know what color to paint them, they were blue, green and brown and colors in between. Full lips and long eyelashes, a half teardrop nose and a slender neck. I remembered that when she was in town the soldiers didn't bother them, she would just say a word to them and they seemed as though they didn't care anymore.

"I know, I saw her in the market" I said and felt a little self-conscious of my looks. I had plain dark brown hair and purple eyes that came from my mother.

I turned to face Arvid and was met with bright blue eyes and dark brown hair. People would have thought we were fraternal twins if not for Arvid being three years older and our eyes being different, his coming from father.

"Another one of your obsessions?" He laughed

I frowned "I am not obsessed, I am just curious" I defended myself.

He raised an eyebrow "Asking questions? Interrogating the vendors? Drawing them and watching them for four years? Is that curiosity, sister?"

I flushed. "Yes" I pouted.

He approached me and put his thumbs at the corners of my mouth and pushed them up into a forced smile.

"Stop that, you look like a child" I swatted his hands away.

"Quit it" I said

"Smile" he commanded "Come now, smile." Eventually I did. I couldn't stay mad at him.

"Right, we are going to be late for lessons" He said and we climbed down my tower to the library on the second floor of the main building, where our youngest brother and our tutor Madame Corella. She was our teacher for good manners and right etiquette.

"Arvid, Amethyst. Good of you to join us." she said and Allistair sent them a pleading look. He hated these lessons as much as we did. While father didn't force us we did it anyway because it was expected of the crown princes and princess.

"Now today we are reviewing last weeks lesson on proper posture. Even a person with a shorter stature can appear tall and commanding with the right posture. You see, you simply-" I stopped listening to her after this. I was anxious to get out of lessons because right after this was our weekly visit to the market.

Today I was going to do it. I was going to speak to them. To ask them how they were able to do these thing and where they lived. Because I never saw them in Första except for when they were at the market. I was curious, you could say.

The moment Madame dismissed us I rushed to the courtyard to find Catherine waiting for me and we headed off to the market.

As we walked down the cobblestone paths I made sure to politely reply to every "good morning" from citizens who bowed, or tilted their hat to me on the way. At the market I waited in front of a regular supplier of ours and of the boys, Mrs. Nelin, for Catherine and the other maids, I leaned on a stack of crates. Mrs. Nelin sold only the most fresh fish and was always a favorite for first pick. I waited to see the pair of brothers I was eager to see I was not disappointed as the boys arrived soon after and started purchasing and trading with several vendors at each store they went to. They had definitely matured over the years, towering over me and most of the short and stout vendors who had much too much to eat at home, I could see a light stubble on both of them.

One of the regular soldiers stationed at the market to make sure no trouble arouse recognized and approached them. He stalked towards them, not intimidated by the fact that the twins were both a head taller than him. About a foot away from them the man suddenly fell forward and a loud crash accompanied the fall due to the armor he wore. He looked around for what tripped him and let out a shriek much too high-pitched for a grown man.

"Snake!" He screamed and he started running around frantically trying to get to a higher ground while a pure black serpent that looked like it had no eyes slithered at his feet. Laughter echoed through the marketplace, mine mixing in with it. Eventually The snake slithered up the man's clothing and he started twitching and convulsing erratically. More laughter.

The soldier bumped into crates and knocked down stalls. I was laughing uproariously and neglected to notice the sign right above to me was about to fall. All I heard was a voice I did not recognize and I turned around to see the heavy wooden slab was already falling and falling towards me. I panicked and screamed. When I opened my eyes the wood and the sign that said "Catch of the Day" was in pieces next to me as it had fallen on the crates of smithing tools, a fresh shipment for the blacksmith next door. I swallowed at the thought of being crushed and falling on those sharp metal tools. Only then did I notice the pair of hands that had grabbed me and pulled me out of harm's way. I looked behind my and then up to see a boy looking at me with concern in his dark, slightly sunken eyes. Disheveled brown hair fell in front of those orbs of darkness and covered the pale skin of his forehead.

"Th- thank you" I managed to stutter, adrenaline still running through my veins.

He did not reply, he just nodded slightly and walked towards the twins who had flashes of recognition in their eyes and apologetic looks on their faces, looks that were pointed towards me. I was in shock at the fact they recognized me I was paralyzed for some reason as if I was an avid reader meeting their favorite author. One of them took a single step towards me but the boy with the dark eyes grabbed his arm in a silent message and they walked away. It was a few seconds later that I heard the shouts of concern.

"Princess! My lady are you alright?! Are you hurt?!" Catherine asked, frantically checking me for injuries. A crowd was gathering, every one of them concerned for their princess. I realized that I did not get to talk to the boys and looked around for them. No sign of any of them. More people gathered. Terrific. This was sure to reach father's ears.

* * *

><p>News travels fast in Sammans.<p>

That fact that my father had the royal doctor, Mrs. Holmquist ready the moment I came home was proof of that.

My father, Faust Carlstrom stood perfectly straight with a kind of grace that Madame Corella used as an example for us. He had white blonde almost the color of cornsilk, with streaks of grey weaved in between. His bright blue eyes studied me with concern. Broad shoulders and fairly fit for his age from years on the front lines when he was a young man.

"Amethyst are you well? What happened?" He asked the moment I was in his sight.

Dr Holmquist, being a sort of motherly figure for me as was Catherine, she started evaluating my condition and absent mindedly taking my pulse while I spoke.

"Thanks you for your concern father but I am perfectly fine" I said but he shook his head.

"You could have been crushed and impaled. How are you " perfectly fine"?" He asked looking for any marks on my face.

I explained what happened how the dark boy helped me and pulled me out of the way, but I left out the part with him being with the twins. I did not need my father to think I had an obsession, because knowing him he would have them taken to the castle just for my satisfaction. But I wanted to know them in my own time, by my own means.

After I was done my father seemed intrigued. "He saved you, you say? Then we must find him, thank him, reward him! For saving my daughter and princess of Carlstrom."

My eyes widened "No!" I said out of nowhere.

"What?! Why ever not?"

I searched my mind for an explanation. "He-he...He's a traveler and was only in town for the day, he said he had to leave immediately." Thankfully, I learned the skill of lying with finesse at an early age and convinced my father.

He stroked his scruffy beard. "A shame. I would have wanted to thank him."

"As do I, father"

After Dr. Holmquist came to the conclusion that I was fine (of course) I went to my room to rest.

I spent half the night drawing the dark boy's face from what I remembered of him. I made sure to draw everything that I remembered, I was always told I had a photographic memory. I drew dark shadows under his eyes, as he looked when I gazed up at him. His hair was unruly as if he had just woken up but it suited him. hours of erasing and redrawing every detail, I moved from my desk to my gallery and started on a painting of him. I slept in an armchair in the room that night with my paintings to watch over me, with their life-like qualities that I had been complimented for many a time.

I tried to stay awake and read one of my favourite novels but soon sleep overcame me and the darkness took over.

* * *

><p>I was always a vivid dreamer.<p>

Right then I could feel the cool breeze and the sun's warmth on my skin. I walked through a field of flowers only to find myself staring at a complete contrast of the scenery behind me. Opposite of the green hill dotted with flowers and teeming with life was a barren wasteland with black dried up dead trees. The ground beneath my feet was dark and hard dirt. I turned around to find everything had gone. There was nothing but a completely black wall where the green paradise was.

Deciding I had nowhere to go but forward I continued.

After what felt like hours I arrived at a well. Sitting at the edge of it staring down at the murky water beneath was a young girl, maybe twelve years old. She had silky dark brown hair. She was wearing a plain white dress that reached her ankles. I couldn't see her face clearly as most of it was covered by her hair but I noted how her skin was tan.

"Hello." I said my voice sounding like an echo.

She didn't respond she just sat there, swinging her legs that dangled above the dark chasm.

I just stared at her. For the longest time it was all I could do. It didn't seem like she would say a word so I turned to leave.

"The light"

I turned back around. "Excuse me?" I said trying to get more out of her

"It going out" she said and I came closer "The light's going to die out, you find it, you must save it."

I shook my head. "I don't understand" her head suddenly tilted upwards and I looked into pure black eyes.

"Find it. You must find the light. You must save it, you must find it, save it ,you must..." she repeated over and over again.

I took a step back and found there was no ground beneath my feet.

**DONE! **

**Wasn't all that exciting for a first chapter but I tried to give a bit of backstory and a layout.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Second Chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the Percy Jackson series or the Heroes of Olympus that right goes to the amazing Rick Riordan**

**Chapter 2**

I was falling down into complete and utter blackness. I did what any rational human being would.

I screamed.

Instead of meeting the bottom of a chasm and becoming a spot of blood on the ground I had fallen on the floor of my gallery. Odd. I had never had those kinds of dreams before. I wondered if I had screamed aloud.

I heard the door burst open. "M'lady are ye a'right?" Yes, I definitely screamed aloud. She looked as though a fire had started, but she had always been that way, very much concerned for my well-being. Added that I enjoyed seeing her strung up sometimes because she started saying incoherent words in the accent she had, where she always said "ye" instead of you and she said "I" like someone would say the "oi" in oil.

"I'm fine Catherine. I just...fell" Catherine assisted me and pulled me up. Her eyes were focused on something else.

"Wow" she said and I followed her line of vision to three portraits. One of the dark boy, one of the boy with sky blue eyes, and one of the boy with sea green eyes. I didn't even notice that I had put them together. The dark boy's background was a mix of dark colors that added more detail to him because it gave me reason to darken his face as if something were casting a shadow on him. I had only painted him from the neck up, because that was all I saw or rather, it was all I could focus on. The blue-eyed boy was behind a stormy grey background, the wind blowing through his hair and lightning crackling around him he was standing on the hill and smiling as if he enjoyed the storm. The green-eyed one, for some reason, I painted with an ocean behind him, his eyes mimicking its color, the wind blowing through his hair as well, knee-deep in the water with an orange light resembling the light at sunset surrounding him.

It was strange as if they belonged next to each other, and I quite honestly did not know why I made their portraits the way they were.

"They go together well." She said. She went to examine the newest one a bit closer. "When did ye see this one?"

"I- he was the boy I told father about yesterday" I answered, I could trust Catherine.

Her eyebrows rose slightly "Was he now? Well then I'll be, ye'v got a fine saviour here." She laughed and I laughed as well.

"Catherine" I said slightly embarrassed

"What? I am just telling the truth, a good-looking young man, all dark an' mysterious. Added to that he saved yer life. Why little miss, I say we find him"

I shook my head "You have been reading too many romance novels, Catherine" I said as I tidied up the brushes, pallets, paints and easel I used. Catherine hung up the picture for me alongside the other two she said it went together well with. I have to admit they did go together quite well, as if it were a balance.

"Well little miss, I'll be leavin' ye with yer knight in shinin' armor" she smirked while I pouted at her. She left and I sighed and approached the newest addition to my collection. The paint had dried and I caressed the boy's cheek. I would not say it out loud but I had the overwhelming urge to see him again, I just didn't know why. I ruled out Catherine's fantasies of love, I didn't even know him. Was it because he save me? I did not know just yet.

Catherine's head popped up from the door once again. "By the way Amethyst, I'm going back to the market today, it seems that in ma haste to get ye home, I forgot the spices for yer father's favorite curry" she withdrew and I heard her heels clicking against the marble floor. "Yer free to come with me if ya like!" She called after.

I immediately ascended to my room above the gallery and prepared. I didn't know why I bothered the brothers only came to the market once a week. But despite this, I prepared for a day out anyway, thinking I could visit my good friends Vera and Adeline. I wore a casual light purple dress that matched my eyes. My hair was done up into a bun with two strands framing my face, how I always had my hair when I visited my friends.

When we departed for the market, the first stop was back at Catch of the Day for the order we failed to pick up yesterday. Mrs. Nelin being a kind old woman didn't have us pay again but gave us a fresh fish anyway. After this we set off to buy more groceries and some unnecessary things like, paint for me, yarn and thread for Catherine's stitch work and knitting. While Catherine picked up an order we made for fresh milk, I overheard shouts and screams of protest a little ways down the road. I followed the sound of the commotion to see a crowd gathered around a dispute between three old woman and two soldiers. One of the soldiers was pointing an accusing finger at them then at the store they was currently standing in the doorway of.

"For the last time you old crone, you can't stay here if you haven't payed the rent!" One of the burly men said but the women just stared back at him with no signs of being intimidated.

"And for the last time I'll tell you, to shove off!" One shrieked. "This is the only thing that keeps me and my sisters fed and sheltered. You can't take this away." Her voice went from strict and firm to pleading.

"Alright! That's it!" The other soldier stepped forward and shoved one lady to the side.

"No!" I yelped but was ignored. Seeing no one was doing anything I raised my voice.

"And just _what_ do you think you're doing?!" All heads turned on me. The crowd parted for me and I came forward trying to keep a stern look on my face and not to have a panic attack right then and there.

"Watch it lass or I'll have to put you with these old cows here" one of the soldiers sneered at me, which then turned into a leer "Although I would leave her and the dump alone for a night with you" he looked me up and down while I gave him an acid glare.

I tried my best to sound outraged. "Remember your place and where your respects should be or do you not know who I am?" I raised my chin proudly but the look on his face retained the voyeurism.

"_You_ are a feisty one." He said "I like my women with a little fight in them." I stepped forward and slapped him.

"How dare you?! You are speaking with Amethyst Glans Carlstrom, daughter of Faust Ulf Carlstrom, King of Sammans, heir to the throne and I would never stoop so low as to be your whore!" I heard collective gasps, I quite honestly hated to use my title and lineage against others but that day I made an exception. There were mutters and I caught words like "executed" and "punished". The men had eyes the size of plates and their mouths opened and closed like a pair of fishes.

"Leave. Now. " the order left my lips and they scrambled over each other to get away and the crowd applauded. I shook my head in disappointment at those men and at the people watching who I told to go back to what they were doing before. Such sheep, the people of Första were. When they dispersed I approached the grandmothers one of which was still on the ground.

I outstretched a hand towards her. "Please, allow me to help you." she gratefully took my hand and I pulled her up as gently as I could.

"Thank you yer majesty" they tried to bow to me and the one in the middle nearly fell over again.

"Now, now you are my elders, I won't have any of that "Your Majesty" business." I said gently

"Ye are a kind soul, dearie." She said as I helped her steady herself. "I am ever so grateful."

I gave her a smile "It was no trouble, I was happy to help you, especially with vermin like them, a disgrace to the name of the Förstan soldier." I spat the last few words with a look of dissatisfaction on my face.

"No trouble?" One of the grandmother's asked. "Dear ye saved me and ma sisters from sleeping on the streets. This old place is all we have left." She gestured to the structured behind her.

It was a decrepit old house with the first floor converted into what I assumed was their store. It looked ready to fall any second and crush whomever was inside.

"Your shop I assume?"

They nodded eagerly, seeing me take an interest. I could see their faces break out into wide smiles, or at least part of their faces. They were wearing hooded cloaks that covered the top half of their faces so all that I could see was the bottom half of their noses and their crooked, yellowing teeth. Two of them moved to either side of me and took my hands as they guided me inside. The third walked behind us. The minute we were all inside I heard the door lock behind me with a _clank!_

I swallowed hard and then took in my surroundings. It dark and dusty, nothing but candlelight lighting up the room it smelled sickly sweet, like it had been doused with strong perfume. It was definitely a store, there was a counter with little trinkets and jewelry. Hanging above my head, from the low ceiling were what they really sold.

I took a look at the what they offered on the hooks and had to be impressed, it was obvious they were crafted by hand, no two were exactly the same even with the design or color. I looked among them, one necklace was three swords crossed with each other the two that were diagonal were pure black and gold, while the other one in the center was made of bronze. Earrings depicting owls, doves and several others. Charm bracelets that were separate from their charms of wolves, little green tridents, skulls, lightning bolts and few others

I wondered why no one had bought any of these things, they were absolutely beautiful. I looked through the amulets and what caught my eye were rows silver necklaces on hooks hanging high above the counter, all the same design with some slight differences. Celtic knots with stones and charms hanging from center, a yellow stone with intricate cracks that looked like lightning, a completely black stone with an eerie light, one that had several shades of sea green and blue, a green one with silver "vines" growing around it, one that had a stone as bright as the sun, another with the luminescent shine of the silvery moon, one with wings and snakes coiling around the shining white stone, one that had a blood red stone, another had green and brown stone carved into the shape of an olive tree, there looked to be infinite rows of one kind of charm hung onto a hook with different cloroed thread for each individual necklace.

What captured my attention was a row of necklaces with celtic knots, the series of never-ending silver links that fanned out like a pair of wings and hanging from it were red stones. I could not say they were rubies because the color was not completely red. It seemed to look more like fire, shifting and changing shades with the light, it looked like a candle's flames, slightly shining, orange, red, and yellow with a very small spot of blue flame in the center.

"See anything ye like?"

I jumped again, it seemed the grandmothers had a habit of appearing so deathly quiet that I had forgotten they were there.

"Yes, I mean- I have taken a liking to these" I held one of the fire necklaces between my fingers. "It's beautiful."

One of them instantly grabbed that exact one from its hook, took out a pair of shears and cut the black thread that had been tied to it.

_Snip_

I swear the sound echoed off the walls.

"Excellent choice my dear" she handed me the necklace and I asked her how much it was worth but she insisted it was free because of what I did. They then guided me to the middle of the room where a round table sat five chairs, three of which, the grandmothers immediately sat in and gestured for me to sit on the fourth. A deck of cards sat on their side of the table.

"For what ye did out there dearie, we're giving ya the necklace and a free reading." the middle one said.

"Reading?" I asked.

"Yes! A reading, we can tell ya what kind of person ye are, what's in store for yer future-"

The girl on the left drew a card from the deck and on it was a heart.

"Maybe love."

The one on the right drew another and on it was a blank mask with a smile.

"Maybe happiness."

The last drew and on it was a skull with a knife through its eye.

"Maybe death and tragedy"

I could have sworn I felt cold air at the back of my neck, my head turned to see the same dark eyes from my dreams, I jumped, but found that I could not move the old ladies were holding me down.

The one on the left took my hand and started tracing the lines there. For some reason I stopped moving, completely frozen the moment she touched my arm. She traced the line below my fingers

"A kind heart."

She traced the line below that.

"Destined for momentous decisions"

She traced the line that ran from my thumb to the lower part of my palm.

"A strong will."

She traced a deep one that cut through all the rest

"A life controled by fate" she said these words in barely a whisper she let go of me but I still found myself unable to move.

"It is you"

The two rejoined their sister at the other side of the table. My eye widened as an eerie green light from out of nowhere shone on their faces.

They drew seven cards from the deck and set them face down.

My arm moved of its own accord and turned over the first one. It was the same card with a skull but no knife through the eye hole.

_"You will seek out death and know it's name,-"_ the one on the right said, her voice becoming raspy

I turned over the next one. It was a boy and a girl in the woods with dark shadows behind them.

"_-you will find the lost ones in the hall behind the rain ,-_" said the one on the left

I took the next one. A heart surrounded by white flames

"-_Open_ _your heart and fall to fire_-" The one in the center whispered

The next one was a treasure chest

"-_Discover what you what have always desired_-"

I turned the next one and my heart nearly lept out of my throat. The next card showed the same little girl from my dreams smiling and holding out a hand to me

_"-But know in the end it will all be for naught -_"

The last one was me, it was me standing in front of an altar reaching for something that shone with a warmth that I felt from where I sat.

"_For the search must continue a__nd for dark not to reign_..." She paused and took a shaky breath.

_"...the light must be sought"_

With that the green light disappeared and I finally found myself able to move. I ran with all the speed my fright gave me and was soon out of the shop and on the streets. I looked back as I ran and bumped into something that stood firm while I fell backwards.

I felt someone grab my arm and pull me to them to keep me from falling. I steadied myself and looked at my saviour. Shock travelled through me for what felt like the millionth time that day as I stared, wide-eyed, into dark eyes that were partly covered by unkempt brown locks.

"Well it looks like you have a habit of getting in trouble." He said with an emotionless face. "Are you okay?" he was certainly not Havish. He was pale even in comparison to my people, and he spoke without the accent I was accustomed to, his tone much too casual.

"I-I 'm fine" I said while I backed away from him. "Thank you. Again"

I stared at him for a while, maybe it was rude but something about the way he looked felt unusually familiar, like I had seen him before that day in the market, but that was impossible.

"My name is Amethyst" I said suddenly when I saw he was becoming uncomfortable under my gaze.

I saw a forced smile play on his lips and he stretched out a hand to me. "Nico, Nico di Angelo."

**AN: So I wanna explain somethings. **

**1) this fic will take patience. A lot of it.**

**2) You probably already realized this but the story is an AU. So it takes place in a world where the PJO characters are not demigods.**


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